G30 

SS-Sov. 


AN 

ADDRESS 


DELIVERED 

BEFORE  THE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY 


WESTBOROUGH  AND  VICINITY, 


AT 


WESTBOROUGH,  OCTOBER  THE  6th,  1841. 


BY  JOHN  S.  SLEEPER,  ESO. 


BOSTON  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  GOULD,  KENDALL  AND  LINCOLN, 


59  Washington  Street. 

1841. 


Westborough,  October  20th,  1841. 


Dear  Sir: 

By  a vote  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Westborough  and  vicinity, 
it  is  made  our  pleasant  duty  to  express  the  thanks  of  the  Society  for  your 
able  and  eloquent  address,  delivered  before  the  Society  on  the  6th  instant, 
and  to  request  a copy  for  publication. 

Very  respectfully, 

George  Denny,  'l 

’ i 

Otis  Brigham,  S-  Committee. 
James  Leach,  J 

John  S.  Sleeper,  Esq. 


Boston,  October,  28th,  1841. 

Messrs.  George  Denny , Otis  Brigham,  and  James  Leach. 
Gentlemen  : 

1 have  received  your  polite  note,  requesting  in  the  name  of  the 
Agricultural  Society  of  Westborough  and  vicinity,  a copy  for  the  press  of  the 
Address  which  I had  the  honor  to  deliver  before  that  Society  on  the  6th  of 
October.  I contemplated  a different  disposal  of  this  Address,  but  if  it  will 
in  any  way  subserve  the  interests  of  the  Society,  it  is  at  their  service. 

I am,  Gentlemen,  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  Servant, 

John  S.  Sleeper. 


“ BV  THE  SWEAT  OF  THY  BROW  THOU  SHALT  EAT  THY  BREAD.” 


Such  was  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  man- 
kind. And  this  sentence  has  been  regarded  as  a 
curse ; and  labor,  through  a succession  of  ages,  has 
been  denounced  as  a mighty  evil.  But  labor  is  not 
the  enemy  of  man.  It  invigorates  the  frame,  it  im- 
proves the  constitution,  it  chases  away  care,  and  it 
promotes  health.  Labor  ushers  in  prosperity,  and 
lays  the  foundation  of  happiness.  The  man  who, 
rioting  in  affluence,  looks  down  with  contempt  on 
his  fellow-man  who  labors  for  his  daily  bread,  should 
not  be  regarded  with  feelings  of  envy  or  indigna- 
tion. He  should  be  viewed  as  an  object  of  pity. 
His  life  is  a dreary  blank  ; he  does  not  fulfil  the  ob- 
ject of  his  creation ; his  riches  confer  no  real 
enjoyment,  and  unhappiness  must  be  his  portion 
through  life.  The  busy,  industrious  bee,  engaged 
in  extracting  honey  from  the  fragrant  flower,  or  in 
pursuing  her  ingenious  architectural  labors,  is  a 


4 


thousand  times  more  happy  than  the  indolent  drone , 
which  can  hardly  be  said  to  live,  only  to  exist. 

Labor  is  not  a curse , it  is  a blessing.  In  all  coun- 
tries, in  all  stages  of  society,  it  is  necessary , in  a 
greater  or  a less  degree,  for  the  subsistence  of  man- 
kind ; and  therefore , free  labor,  voluntary  labor,  is 
honorable , while  idleness  is  almost  universally  re- 
garded as  infamous , and  is  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament  as  one  of  the  predisposing  causes  of  the 
vices  of  the  Cities  of  the  Plain.  If  we  look  round 
the  world,  we  shall  find  that  in  those  countries 
where  the  climate  is  ungenial,  or  the  soil  is  uneven 
and  barren,  requiring  the  utmost  skill  and  constant 
labors  of  the  inhabitants  to  bring  forth  sufficient  to 
satisfy  their  wants,  as  in  Norway,  the  Tyrol,  or  in 
Switzerland ; in  those  countries  the  people  are 
healthy,  virtuous  and  happy.  On  the  other  hand, 
among  those  nations  where  the  climate  is  mild 
through  the  year  ; where  the  earth  brings  forth,  with 
but  little  aid  from  man,  its  richest  products ; where  a 
large  portion  of  the  population  lead  a life  of  indo- 
lence, and  worship  at  the  shrine  of  enervating  lux- 
ury ; in  those  countries  life  has,  comparatively,  but 
few  real  charms,  and  there  the  Christian  virtues  can 
never  flourish. 

I repeat  it,  labor,  so  far  from  being  a curse,  is  a 
precious  boon.  It  purifies  the  heart,  expands  the 
feelings,  and  gives  a zest  to  the  enjoyments  of  life ; 
and  wretched  indeed  must  those  individuals  or  that 
people  be,  who,  by  a strange  infatuation  or  neglect- 
ed education,  are  led  to  despise  the  invaluable  gift, 
and  follow  in  the  demoralizing  train  of  indolence. 


5 


Agriculture  may  be  considered  the  foundation 
of  labor.  By  agriculture  is  understood  the  art  of 
tilling  the  ground,  of  making  the  earth  bring  forth 
rich  fruits,  and  grains,  and  roots,  which  conduce  to 
the  subsistence  and  comfort  of  the  human  race,  and 
to  the  support  of  the  animals,  which  man  has  sub- 
jected to  his  dominion.  The  art  of  agriculture  is 
the  basis  of  all  other  arts.  It  is  coeval  with  the 
dawn  of  civilization  ; and  as  a nation  improves  in 
agriculture,  the  glorious  light  of  civilization  will  be 
diffused  through  the  land.  When  a people,  emerg- 
ing from  a state  of  barbarism,  first  turn  their  atten- 
tion to  agriculture,  they  soon  become  aware  of  the 
necessity  of  proper  tools  to  aid  them  in  their  labors. 
This  prompts  them  to  look  into  the  subject  of  metal- 
lurgy. They  examine  the  minerals  of  various  kinds 
scattered  abroad  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and 
select  such  as  will  subserve  their  purpose  ; and  here 
we  find  the  origin  of  the  mechanic  arts. 

Man,  fixed  to  one  spot  in  consequence  of  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  soon  by  his  industry  causes  the  soil  to 
yield  more  than  is  necessary  for  his  wants,  or  those 
of  the  mechanic  and  the  manufacturer.  A surplus  is 
created,  which  is  exchanged  for  other  commodities 
among  distant  tribes,  or  distant  nations  — and  com- 
merce thus  springs  into  life,  and  furnishes  additional 
comforts  and  luxuries. 

Were  it  not  for  agriculture,  mankind  would  lead 
a wandering,  savage  life.  Their  principal  resources 
would  be  in  hunting  and  fishing ; and  when  those 
should  fail,  they  would  seek  to  prey  on  the  industry 


6 


of  others.  Bound  by  no  ties  to  any  particular  spot 
of  earth,  they  would  traverse  the  land  in  search  of 
subsistence.  It  was  this  which  induced  the  barba- 
rian Gauls  to  make  irruptions  into  the  southern  parts 
of  Europe.  It  was  this  which  caused  the  final  sub- 
version of  the  Roman  empire  by  the  Goths  and 
Vandals,  who  forsook  their  native  wildernesses,  in 
the  central  and  northern  parts  of  Europe,  for  the 
mild  climate  and  richly  cultivated  fields  of  Italy. 

Agriculture  is  not  only  the  nurse,  but  the  mother 
of  patriotism.  The  man  who  cultivates  the  land, 
feels  an  interest  in  the  soil.  He  feels  that  it  is  his 
own,  and  a thousand  pleasing  associations  attach 
him  to  the  spot.  He  loves  the  land  in  which  he 
lives,  and  will  gallantly  stand  forth  to  resist  oppres- 
sion, or  avenge  an  insult  offered  to  his  country. 

Who  fought  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill?  Who 
triumphed  at  Bennington,  when  commanded  by  the 
gallant  Stark  ? Who  achieved  American  indepen- 
dence, and  established  on  the  western  shores  of  the 
Atlantic  a republic  of  free  men  ? They  were  the 
honest,  industrious  farmers  of  our  country;  men 
who  knew  nothing  of  the  destructive  science  of 
war ; who  loved  not  battles,  but  who  were  advocates 
of  peace.  They  were  attached  to  the  land  of  their 
birth,  and  at  the  call  of  patriotism,  they  threw  aside 
the  implements  of  agriculture,  and  seized  the  musket 
and  the  sword  ; they  left  their  peaceful  employments 
and  their  homes,  willing  to  sacrifice  their  property 
and  their  lives,  in  an  effort  to  break  the  rod  of  op- 
pression. 


7 


The  Holy  Scriptures  teach  us  that  agriculture 
formed  a principal  part  of  the  business  of  the  ante- 
diluvians. Abel  was  a shepherd,  for  we  learn  that 
he  sacrificed  44  the  firstlings  of  his  flock ; ” and  Cain 
was  44  a tiller  of  the  ground.”  After  the  flood,  Noah 
and  his  sons  cultivated  the  vine,  and  instructed  their 
posterity  in  the  arts  of  agriculture.  The  descen- 
dants of  Shem  appear  to  have  been  herdsmen  ; they 
followed  the  breeding  and  feeding  of  cattle.  And 
the  sons  of  Ham,  who  took  possession  of  Egypt, 
applied  themselves  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
which  was  wonderfully  fertile,  owing  to  the  inunda- 
tions of  the  Nile  ; and  their  success  was  so  great, 
that  Egypt  was  enabled,  in  the  time  of  Abraham, 
and  more  particularly  in  the  time  of  Jacob,  to  sup- 
ply its  neighbors  with  corn  during  periods  of  famine. 

The  Jews,  when  they  reached  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, applied  themselves  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil.  It  would  appear  from  certain  passages  in  the 
Old  Testament,  that  husbandry  formed  their  princi- 
pal occupation.  Many  of  the  laws  of  Moses  have 
for  their  object  the  regulation  of  flocks,  and  herds, 
and  fields.  David  cultivated  his  own  land,  and  had 
officers  to  take  charge  of  his  flocks,  his  herds,  and 
his  warehouses.  Elisha  was  in  the  field  with  twelve 
yoke  of  oxen  when  he  was  found  by  Elijah.  In 
different  parts  of  the  sacred  writings,  mention  is 
made  of  the  digging  of  wells,  the  planting  of  vine- 
yards, the  harvesting,  threshing,  winnowing  of  corn, 
and  things  of  a similar  kind.  And  these  labors  were 


8 


looked  upon  as  in  the  highest  degree  honorable* 
Both  sacred  and  profane  history  bear  witness  that 


“ In  ancient  times  the  sacred  plough,  employed 
The  kings  and  awful  fathers  of  mankind.” 


The  Chaldeans,  the  Chinese,  the  Japanese,  and 
the  Phoenicians,  practiced  the  art  of  agriculture 
with  great  success  in  the  early  ages  of  society.  In 
an  imperial  ordinance  of  China,  issued  within  the 
last  century,  it  was  declared  to  be  a maxim  of  their 
ancestors,  that  44  whenever  a man  neglected  to  em- 
ploy himself  in  labor,  or  a woman  in  spinning,  some 
person  in  the  empire  must  suffer  cold  and  hunger.” 

Homer,  in  his  Odyssey,  and  other  ancient  writers, 
represent  the  cultivation  of  the  earth  as  the  most 
honorable  employment  of  man.  They  also  prove 
to  us  that  industry  in  both  sexes,  as  well  as  valor  and 
virtue,  were  highly  prized  by  the  Greeks ; while 
idleness  is  every  where  rebuked  as  the  herald  of 
vice.  The  celebrated  Ulysses,  the  warrior  and  the 
sage,  on  returning  to  Ithaca,  his  kingdom,  after  an 
absence  of  twenty  years,  found  his  aged  father,  king 
Laertes,  busily  at  work  in  the  fields ; for  the  poet 
tells  us  he  was  owner  of  a tract  of  land,  which  he 
cultivated  with  his  own  hands.  The  scene  is  thus 
described  by  Homer : 

44  The  king  of  Ithaca  and  his  true  and  chosen 
band  wended  their  way  towards  that  part  of  the 
island  where  the  good  Laertes  lived.  The  venerable 
man  was  owner  of  a tract  of  land,  which  he  culti- 


9 


vated  with  his  own  hands,  assisted  by  Dolius,  an 
aged  servant,  and  his  two  sons.  As  the  chief  drew 
near  the  rural  dwelling,  he  bade  his  son  Telemachus 
and  his  attendants  approach  the  house,  while  he,  di- 
vested of  his  armor,  would  seek  in  the  fields  for  his 
father,  being  curious  to  know  if  the  old  man  would 
recognize  him,  sadly  changed  as  he  was  with  years 
and  sorrow. 

“ By  paths  which  led  beneath  shady  trees,  and 
through  well-cultivated  fields,  Ulysses  passed  without 
meeting  Dolius  or  his  sons.  At  length  he  saw  at  a dis- 
tance, an  old  man,  laboring  alone  in  the  midst  of  a 
field.  It  was  his  father  ! He  was  clad  in  coarse, 
but  comfortable  garments,  suitable  to  his  occupa- 
tion ; and  although  his  frame  was  bent  beneath  the 
weight  of  years,  he  still  looked  vigorous  and  in 
health. 

“ Ulysses  gazed  upon  him  in  silence,  while  standing 
beneath  a tree  hard  by.  He  marked  the  features  of 
his  father,  which  were  much  changed  since  he  last 
saw  him,  being  deeply  furrowed  by  the  hand  of 
time.  But  even  in  this  humble  dress,  and  while 
employed  in  the  labors  of  the  field,  he  retained  a 
look  of  majesty,  which  proclaimed  the  king. 

“ The  hero  wept  as  he  gazed  upon  the  noble  ruins  ; 
but  repressing  his  emotions,  he  advanced  towards 
the  venerable  husbandman,  who  was  busily  employ- 
ed in  removing  the  weeds  from  around  a favorite 
plant,  and  loosening  the  earth,  that  it  might  receive 
moisture  and  nourishment.  The  old  man,  intent  on 
his  employment,  did  not  relax  his  labors,  or  even 
2 


10 


raise  his  head,  as  Ulysses  approached  and  thus  ad- 
dressed him : 

44  4 Father,  your  skill  and  industry  as  a tiller  of  the 
earth,  is  deserving  of  all  praise  ; it  is  stamped  in 
living  characters  on  the  soil.  These  well-tilled 
fields,  these  thriving  vineyards,  these  rich  and  flour- 
ishing fruit-trees,  teeming  with  figs,  and  pears,  and 
citrons,  and  olives,  all  bear  witness  to  your  surpass- 
ing skill  as  a cultivator  of  the  earth.  No  spot  ap- 
pears to  be  neglected,  but  every  plant  and  every  tree 
seems  cherished  with  equal  care.  You  alone  appear 
to  be  neglected,  and  I pray  your  forgiveness,  father, 
if  I censure  you  for  this  neglect.  Surely,  one  so 
advanced  in  life  may  reasonably  claim  some  indul- 
gence. Repose  from  toil,  bright  garments  and 
social  enjoyments  are  what  old  age  demands,  and 
should  be  yours.’  ” 

The  fable  of  the  contest  between  Minerva  and 
Neptune,  to  ascertain  who  should  possess  the  city 
of  Athens,  is  well  known.  When  the  foundation  of 
the  city  was  laid,  Neptune  planted  his  trident  in  the 
rock  ; an  emblem  of  power.  But  Minerva  produced 
the  olive-tree,  the  symbol  of  plenty  and  of  peace. 
The  god  of  the  ocean  was  declared  vanquished.  It 
is  not  difficult  to  perceive  that  in  this  fable,  or  tra- 
dition, is  preserved  a record  of  the  rivalry  that  arose 
between  two  classes  of  the  Attic  population  ; the 
one  devoted  to  maritime  pursuits,  and  aiming  at 
commercial  eminence,  which  in  those  remote  ages 
was  often  attained  by  piracy,  and  the  other  con- 
tented with  their  own  domestic  resources,  and  pre- 


11 


ferring  the  tranquil  operations  of  an  agricultural  and 
pastoral  life,  typified  by  the  emblem  of  peace. 

The  ancient  Romans,  too,  venerated  the  plough. 
Numa,  the  second  monarch  of  Rome,  when  he  was 
called  to  preside  over  the  destinies  of  the  new  king- 
dom, found  himself  at  the  head  of  a lawless  multi- 
tude, accustomed  to  war  and  rapine,  and  more  re- 
sembling a band  of  robbers  than  a peaceable  com- 
munity, relying  on  their  own  labors  for  a subsistence. 
But  Numa  was  renowned  for  wisdom,  and  in  order 
to  suppress  the  fierce  passions  of  his  subjects,  he 
distributed  amongst  them  the  lands  which  his  warlike 
predecessor,  Romulus,  had  conquered.  He  turned 
their  attention  to  agriculture,  believing  that  no  oc- 
cupation implanted  so  speedy  and  so  effectual  a love 
of  peace,  as  a rural  life  ; which,  without  diminishing 
the  courage  and  energy  necessary  to  defend  prop- 
erty, removes  the  temptations  to  injustice  and  ava- 
rice. 

At  a later  period  the  Romans  became  theoretical- 
ly, as  well  as  practically,  familiar  with  husbandry. 
Cincinnatus,  when  summoned  by  the  Senate  to 
exercise  the  high  office  of  Dictator,  and  save  the 
country  from  threatened  ruin,  was  found  in  the 
field,  busily  employed  in  ploughing  the  soil.  And 
the  patriotic  and  noble-minded  Regulus  petitioned 
the  senate  for  leave  to  return  from  the  army  for 
a short  time  to  his  farm,  lest  it  should  be  ruined  by 
neglect  during  his  absence.  Cato  the  censor,  cele- 
brated as  a general,  an  orator  and  a statesman, 
derived  his  highest  and  most  enduring  honors  from 
having  written  a voluminous  treatise  on  agriculture. 


12 


These  were  the  golden  days  of  Rome.  The  men 
were  brave  and  industrious  — the  women  were  vir- 
tuous — and  the  empire  was  powerful  and  respected. 
But  riches  subsequently  introduced  luxury,  and  ar- 
tificial manners  and  habits,  and  the  labors  of  agri- 
culture were  no  longer  considered  as  honorable,  but 
were  performed  by  strangers  or  slaves.  From  this 
time  the  Roman  character  rapidly  deteriorated,  and 
Rome  fell  an  easy  prey  to  her  more  warlike  invad- 
ers. And  in  the  age  of  anarchy  and  barbarism, 
which  succeeded  the  downfall  of  the  Roman  empire, 
agriculture  was  almost  wholly  abandoned,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  general  insecurity  of  property,  and 
the  transient  interest  felt  by  cultivators,  in  lands 
which  were  not  their  own. 

We  know  but  little  of  the  implements  of  farming 
used  by  the  Romans,  excepting  that  they  were  of 
various  kinds,  and  they  are  probably  more  worthy 
of  notice  from  the  curious  antiquarian,  than  the 
practical  cultivator.  But  we  learn  from  their  writers, 
and  especially  from  Virgil,  that  they  were  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  management  of  land  ; were  versed 
in  the  art  of  making  and  applying  manure,  one  of 
the  main-stays  of  husbandry;  and  were  aware  of 
the  importance  of  irrigating  their  lands.  Virgil  ad- 
vises to  bring  down  the  water  of  a river  upon  the 
sown  corn,  and  when  the  fields  are  parched,  and  the 
plants  drying,  convey  it  from  the  brow  of  a hill  in 
channels. 

But  we  are  told  that  the  Romans,  above  all  things, 
valued  thorough  tillage.  “ Small  farms  and  well 


13 


tilled ,5J  was  their  motto,  which  doctrine  was  also 
well  illustrated  by  the  following  apologue : 

A vine-dresser  had  two  daughters,  and  a large 
vineyard.  When  his  eldest  daughter  was  married, 
he  gave  her  a third  of  the  vineyard  for  her  portion, 
notwithstanding  which,  he  continued  to  have  the 
same  quantity  of  fruit  as  before.  When  his  young- 
est daughter  was  married,  he  gave  her  half  of  what 
remained,  and  still  the  produce  of  his  vineyard  was 
undiminished ! This  extraordinary  result  was  the 
consequence  of  his  bestowing  as  much  labor  on  the 
third  part , left  after  his  daughters  had  received  their 
portions,  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to  bestow  on 
the  whole  vineyard. 

A good  moral  may  be  drawn  from  this  apologue, 
even  by  the  farmers  of  New  England  in  this  enlight- 
ened age.  Cultivate  a little  land  well,  and  it  will  be 
more  profitable  in  proportion  to  the  labor  expended, 
than  the  cultivation  of  much  land  in  a careless  and 
unfaithful  manner.  This  self-evident  truth  has  been 
repeatedly  urged  upon  the  attention  of  the  agricul- 
tural community,  and  it  cannot  be  too  often  repeat- 
ed, until  small  farms  become  the  order  of  the  day, 
and  the  land  of  New  England  is  cultivated  as  it 
should  be,  and  trebled ; nay,  quadrupled  in  popula- 
tion and  value. 

The  limits  of  a single  lecture  will  hardly  allow 
me  to  allude  to  the  state  of  agriculture  in  modern 
Europe.  It  is  perhaps  sufficient  to  say  that  it  began 
to  be  studied  methodically  in  the  principal  European 


14 


countries,  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  has  greatly  improved  since  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century.  Labor-saving  machines  of 
various  kinds  have  been  introduced,  and  great  at- 
tention has  been  paid  by  liberal-minded  men  to  im- 
proving the  character  of  vegetables  and  grain,  as 
well  as  the  breed  of  cattle,  and  sheep,  and  hogs,  and 
other  domestic  animals.  The  subjects  of  soils,  ma- 
nure, drainage,  &x.,  have  also  attracted  attention ; 
agricultural  societies  have  been  formed,  and  many 
valuable  experiments  have  been  made  by  men  of 
wealth,  eager  to  promote  the  interests  of  agricul- 
ture. 

There  is  one  branch  of  agriculture,  if  I may  so 
call  it,  which  is  brought  to  considerable  perfection 
in  Europe,  particularly  in  some  parts  of  Germany, 
and  which  is  yet  hardly  known  in  this  country ; but 
which  must  soon  be  introduced,  and  even  now,  in 
many  places  would  prove  a source  of  great  conven- 
ience if  not  of  wealth.  I mean  the  cultivation  of 
forest  trees,  for  fuel  and  for  timber.  Forests  of 
great  extent  are  planted  in  Germany,  and  the  trees, 
in  uniform  rows,  are  nurtured  with  a care,  which  is 
bestowed  by  the  farmers  of  New  England  on  no 
other  than  choice  fruit  trees.  The  traveller  in  the 
interior  of  Europe,  often  meets  with  these  beautiful 
forests,  planted  but  comparatively  a few  years  be- 
fore, by  the  hand  of  man  ; and  trees,  with  their 
straight  and  tall  trunks,  and  umbrageous  foliage, 
cover  tracts  of  land,  where  formerly  fields  of  golden 
grain  were  ripened. 


15 


In  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland  the  art  of  agricul- 
ture has  attained  great  perfection  within  the  last 
quarter  of  a century.  Many  valuable  improvements 
have  been  introduced  into  that  country,  which  can 
now  boast  of  some  of  the  best  tilled  and  most  profit- 
able farms  in  the  world.  And  this  has  been  effected 
by  the  establishment  of  societies,  and  social  agricul- 
tural clubs,  and  the  general  diffusion  of  information 
on  agricultural  subjects. 

It  is  not  many  years  since,  that  in  some  parts  of 
Scotland,  the  ploughs  used  to  be  drawn  by  four 
horses  abreast,  and  required  the  attendance  of  three 
men.  The  business  of  one  man  was  to  drive.  For 
that  purpose  he  placed  himself  between  the  middle 
horses,  with  his  face  towards  the  plough  to  guide  it 
straight,  and  in  this  position  he  stepped  backwards 
with  the  reins  in  his  hand.  Another  walked  be- 
hind the  horses  with  a cleeked  staff,  which  he  fasten- 
ed in  the  front  of  the  beam,  and  by  this  means 
regulated  the  depth  of  the  furrow,  by  raising  or 
lowering  the  plough,  as  occasion  required.  The 
ploughman  followed  after,  with  a hold  of  the  stilts, 
and  in  this  formidable  and  ludicrous  manner,  they 
repeated  their  attacks  on  the  soil ! 

In  England,  agriculture  received  a new  impulse 
about  sixty  years  ago,  by  the  establishment  on  a 
liberal  scale,  of  a Board  of  Agriculture.  This  was 
effected  chiefly  through  the  exertions  of  Sir  John 
Sinclair,  an  indefatigable  friend  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. It  received  from  the  government  the  gener- 
ous sum  of  £25,000 ! and  an  annual  grant  of  a large 


16 


sum.  Establishments  of  a similar  character  soon 
spread  throughout  the  kingdom.  The  ablest  men 
in  the  country  lent  their  aid  to  these  institutions, 
and  the  state  of  agriculture  improved  in  a ratio, 
surpassing  all  calculations.  These  Boards  and  So- 
cieties, made  farmers  residing  in  different  parts  of 
the  country  acquainted  with  one  another,  and  caused 
a rapid  dissemination  of  knowledge  among  the  whole 
profession. 

Numerous  agricultural  surveys,  also,  were  exe- 
cuted under  the  authority  of  the  Board,  and  proved 
of  singular  advantage,  because  they  brought  to  light 
the  practice  of  every  county,  and  pointed  out  the 
modes  of  improvement.  By  these  and  other  public- 
spirited  operations,  farmers  were  induced  to  investi- 
gate the  principles  of  the  art,  and  thus  agriculture 
was  brought  into  fashion ; old  practices  were 
amended ; new  ones  introduced ; and  a degree  of 
exertion  called  forth,  previously  unexampled  among 
agriculturists  of  the  island. 

In  New  England,  the  condition  of  the  farmer  is 
immeasurably  superior  to  that  of  the  men  who  cul- 
tivate the  earth  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  He 
owns  the  land  on  which  he  labors ; unlike  the  im- 
poverished tenants  of  farms  in  Great  Britain,  or  the 
ignorant  and  oppressed  serfs  and  vassals  on  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe.  In  New  England,  the  children 
are  not  dandled  in  the  lap  of  sloth,  and  served  by 
slaves  : they  are  taught  betimes  to  serve  and  help 
themselves.  Here  the  habit  of  industry  is  formed 


17 


in  early  life.  The  farmer  here,  is  emphatically  and 
truly,  the  lord  of  the  soil.  Nor  is  his  heart  wither- 
ed, or  his  hand  unnerved  by  the  corroding  consider- 
ation that  he  holds  his  farm  merely  by  the  feeble 
tenure  of  a life-lease : and  that  when  he  dies,  his 
widow  and  his  fatherless  children  must  abandon 
their  home,  and  be  cast  houseless  and  pennyless  on 
the  world.  It  is  true,  that  within  the  past  year,  the 
doctrine  has  been  boldly  advanced,  that  a man  has 
no  right , during  his  life,  to  direct  the  disposition  of 
his  property  after  his  death  I But  it  was  received 
with  such  a frown  of  indignation  from  one  end  of 
the  Union  to  the  other,  that  I hazard  little  in  predict- 
ing, it  will  never  be  revived. 

In  New  England,  the  farmer  is  respected,  and 
generally  respects  himself.  He  has  the  means  of 
education ; of  improving  his  own  mind  ; of  enlarg- 
ing his  sphere  of  knowledge  ; and  of  educating  his 
children.  He  is  accustomed  to  social  and  domestic 
comforts,  and  participates  in  the  enjoyments  of  life. 
He  is  the  peer  of  every  man,  and  every  class  of 
men ; and  has  abundant  reason  to  congratulate 
himself  on  being  born  in  a country  of  equal  laws ; 
where  the  odious  systems  of  primogeniture  and  en- 
tail have  never  yet  secured  a foothold ; and  thus, 
an  equal  division  of  property  is  secured  among  our 
citizens,  to  an  extent  which  can  never  be  experienced 
under  monarchical  or  aristocratical  governments. 
History  teaches  us  by  innumerable  facts,  that  the  over- 
grown wealth  of  a small  number  of  individuals  al- 
ways impoverishes  the  large  body  of  the  population, 
3 


18 


and  introduces  among  the  inhabitants,  want,  and  its 
concomitants,  ignorance  and  crime.  It  is  this, 
which  is  rapidly  plunging  England,  where  the  race 
of  small  landed  proprietors  is  nearly  extinct,  into  a 
frightful  abyss. 

Agriculture  being  the  most  important  of  arts,  has 
far  more  votaries  than  any  other  art,  which  is  cal- 
culated to  benefit  mankind.  Hence,  in  New  Eng- 
land, the  farmers  compose  a large  portion  of  the 
population.  In  the  selection  of  rulers  or  legislators, 
every  man  has  the  privilege  of  participating  in  an 
equal  degree.  And  that  class  of  our  citizens,  whose 
occupation  it  is  to  till  the  ground,  therefore  have  it 
in  their  power  to  frame  the  laws,  or  to  mould  and 
modify  them  according  to  their  pleasure.  It  follows, 
that  if  our  laws  encourage  the  labor  of  other  classes 
of  the  population,  and  make  no  provision,  or  but  a 
stinted  one,  to  improve  agriculture,  the  farmers  sure- 
ly have  no  right  to  complain. 

There  has  hardly  a kingdom  or  state  existed,  that 
has  not  drawn  its  wealth  directly  or  indirectly  from 
agriculture,  and  that  policy  is  obviously  unwise,  that 
does  not  make  this  the  chief  object  of  encourage- 
ment. Notwithstanding  this,  I may  be  allowed  to 
ask,  have  we  seen  the  same  pains  taken  by  the  na- 
tional or  state  governments,  to  promote  agriculture, 
as  to  improve  and  encourage  arts,  of  far  less  conse- 
quence to  the  public  good! 

Chartered  corporations,  exclusive  patents,  liberal 
rewards,  and  large  promises,  we  often  hear  of,  to 
stimulate  individuals  in  trade,  manufactures,  and  the 


19 


fine  arts.  But  has  not  agriculture  been  all  this 
time  too  much  neglected,  to  shift  for  itself,  to  im- 
prove by  chance,  or  its  own  unassisted  strength  ? 
There  have  not  been  institutions  enough  for  the 
purpose  of  promoting  this  art,  to  merit  attention, 
when  compared  with  what  has  been  done  for  other 
purposes.  And  the  few  agricultural  institutions  of 
which  we  can  boast  in  New  England,  seem  to  have 
met  with  but  little  favor  or  countenance  from  the 
government. 

A celebrated  writer,  Mai  thus,  has  said  that  “ other 
circumstances  being  the  same,  it  may  be  affirmed 
that  countries  are  populous  according  to  the  quan- 
tity of  human  food  which  they  produce  or  acquire, 
and  happy  according  to  the  liberality  with  which  this 
food  is  divided.’5  It  is  also  a maxim  in  political 
economy  that  when  industry  and  frugality  keep  pace 
with  population,  or  rather  when  population  is  only 
the  consequence  of  these,  the  strength  and  riches  of 
a nation  will  bear  proportion  to  the  number  of  its 
citizens ; but  when  the  increase  of  the  people  is  un- 
natural and  forced,  when  it  arises  only  from  a com- 
munity of  goods,  it  tends  to  poverty  and  weakness. 
It  seems  therefore  to  be  both  the  interest  and  the  duty 
of  those  who  have  the  power , to  use  every  means  of 
improving  and  perfecting  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
and  thereby  increase  the  strength  and  security  of  the 
country,  and  the  wealth  and  happiness  of  the  inhab- 
itants. 

It  is  a lamentable  fact,  that  agriculture  in  this 
country,  although  vastly  improved  during  the  pres- 


20 


ent  century,  chiefly  by  the  exertions  of  men  of  lib- 
eral views  and  extensive  theoretical  and  practical 
knowledge,  some  of  whom  have  spent  fortunes  in 
thus  striving  to  benefit  others,  has,  nevertheless,  not 
improved  so  rapidly  as  other  kinds  of  employment, 
in  a general  point  of  view,  not  half  so  beneficial  to 
mankind. 

This  is  doubtless  owing  to  various  causes,  besides 
the  neglect  of  the  government;  and  one  principal 
cause  may  be  found  in  the  feelings  of  dislike,  cher- 
ished by  many  otherwise  worthy  and  sensible  men, 
to  the  introduction  of  changes  in  the  mode  of  tillage 
practiced  by  their  fathers  and  their  grandfathers. 
Such  men  seem  to  have  an  unconquerable  antipathy 
to  innovation  on  good  old  established  customs,  and 
are  too  apt  to  regard  books,  and  periodicals,  and 
societies,  as  a poor  means  of  communicating  accu- 
rate knowledge  on  agricultural  subjects.  They 
reason  in  a peculiar  way.  Their  fathers  undertook 
to  till  with  but  little  manure,  a great  number  of  acres 
of  exhausted  and  sterile  land,  and  they  can  see  no 
earthly  reason  why  they  should  not  pursue  the  same 
praise-worthy  course ! 

Their  conduct  in  this  and  other  particulars,  where 
they  evince  a dogged  determination  to  cling  to  an- 
cient and  absurd  usages,  and  resist  the  adoption  of 
simple  and  more  effectual  methods  to  accomplish 
their  purposes,  reminds  me  of  an  old  anecdote, 
which  I will  relate. 

Once  upon  a time  there  was  a certain  ancient 
vender  of  fish,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  tramping  from 


21 


place  to  place,  carrying  his  merchandise  on  an  old 
horse,  with  a couple  of  baskets,  into  one  of  which 
the  old  man  used  to  pack  his  fish,  while  in  the  other, 
by  way  of  counterpoise,  he  would  stow  an  equal 
weight  of  stones.  One  day  a neighbor  who  had  some 
brains  in  his  head,  remonstrated  with  our  itinerant 
hawker  of  marine  merchandise,  on  the  absurdity  of 
his  conduct,  and  endeavored  to  prove  to  him  that  it 
would  be  much  better  to  put  fish  into  both  baskets, 
and  altogether  dispense  with  the  stones,  as  the  horse 
then  would  be  able  to  carry  double  the  quantity  of 
fish,  or  the  same  quantity  with  twice  the  ease. 

The  fishmonger,  who,  by  the  way,  was  a great 
stickler  for  good  old  customs,  and  had  a profound 
veneration  for  the  wisdom  of  our  ancestors,  either 
would  not,  or  could  not,  comprehend  the  logic  of 
his  reforming  neighbor  ; and  gruffly  told  him  that 
his  plan  might  do,  for  any  thing  he  knew,  but  that 
his  father  and  grandfather  used  to  carry  fish  in  one 
basket,  and  stones  in  the  other,  and  he  was  deter- 
mined to  do  the  same  as  long  as  he  lived,  as  he  hated 
all  new-fangled  notions  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart ! 

Now  we  are,  all  of  us,  ready  to  condemn  the  con- 
duct of  this  man,  and  to  wonder  at  the  stupidity  and 
force  of  prejudice  which  are  so  strongly  exhibited  in 
his  conduct.  But  there  are  few,  very  few,  among 
us,  who  are  not,  unconsciously  perhaps,  pursuing  a 
similar  course ; that  is,  contemning  the  light  of  ex- 
perience and  intelligence,  and  following  the  track  of 
our  ancestors,  who  may  have  erred  through  a want 
of  practical  knowledge. 


22 


It  is  common  to  cry  out  against  innovation ; but 
it  has  been  well  said,  “ there  can  be  no  improvement 
without  innovation.”  And  there  is  probably  no  busi- 
ness in  life,  which  is  more  susceptible  of  improve- 
ment, which  will  derive  more  advantages  from  expe- 
rience, from  facts,  and  from  experimental  science, 
than  Agriculture.  Associations  like  the  one  I have 
the  honor  to  address,  where  intelligent  husbandmen 
meet  and  compare  notes,  and  state  facts,  or  ex- 
press opinions,  all  tending  to  enlighten  or  inform, 
must  therefore  be  highly  beneficial.  And  every 
man,  however  humble  in  his  own  opinion,  however 
uneducated,  is  capable  of  acquiring  valuable  knowl- 
edge by  observation,  which  it  is  his  duty  to  add  to 
the  general  stock. 

It  is,  nevertheless,  a fact,  that  there  are  many 
farmers  in  New  England,  apparently  sensible  and  in- 
telligent, who  look  with  an  eye  of  disapprobation  on 
agricultural  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and  speak 
with  contempt  of  what  they  call  book  farming . This 
feeling  is  to  be  regretted  ; for  it  presents  a formidable 
bar  to  the  extension  of  agricultural  knowledge. 
The  origin  of  this  feeling  is  believed  by  many  to  be 
prejudice  or  obstinacy,  and  to  indicate  a contracted 
mind.  This  is  doubtless  the  case  in  some  instances, 
but  it  often  has  a source  of  a higher  character. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  nature  of  soils  differs  es- 
sentially in  different  districts ; also  that  climate  ex- 
ercises an  important  influence  on  the  growth  of 
vegetables ; and  these  facts,  so  obvious  after  a mo- 
ment’s reflection,  are  nevertheless  the  source  of  much 


23 


misapprehension.  Until  a farmer  learns  the  char- 
acter of  different  climes,  and  is  familiar  with  the  pe- 
culiar properties  of  different  soils,  he  is  constantly  in 
danger  of  being  led  into  error,  if  he  attempt  to  profit  by 
the  experience  of  others,  even  when  that  experience 
has  been  faithfully  recorded ; for  that  which  succeed- 
ed with  the  one,  might  totally  fail  with  the  other, 
under  circumstances  when  he  would  be  unable  to 
perceive  any  difference. 

The  practical  farmer,  therefore,  who  has  neither 
time  nor  money  to  expend  in  experiments,  when  he 
is  advised  to  practice  what  he  is  assured  has  succeed- 
ed in  another  district,  should  receive  such  advice 
with  caution,  and  be  prepared  for  such  results  as  may 
correspond  with  the  difference  in  the  character  of 
the  soils  and  climates. 

On  reading  books,  periodicals  and  newspapers 
devoted  to  agriculture,  and  edited  by  good  agricul- 
turists, he  often  finds  modes  of  culture  recommended, 
which  he  knows  would  not  be  successful  with  him. 
It  is,  therefore,  not  very  surprising  that  he  some- 
times imbibes  an  unfortunate  prejudice  against  all 
publications,  and  all  societies,  which  endeavor  to  in- 
troduce improvements  that  are  not  known  in  the  dis- 
trict where  he  resides.  And  he  has  so  often  seen 
the  awkward  consequences  that  attend  the  rash  en- 
terprises of  sanguine  innovators,  who,  having  no 
idea  of  discriminating  between  soils  and  climates, 
rush  with  a headlong  career  to  their  own  undoing, 
that  he  is  more  and  more  confirmed,  the  longer  he 
lives,  in  his  determination  to  listen  to  no  extraneous 


24 


information  whatever ; but  to  jog  along  in  the  crooked 
but  beaten  path,  which  his  fathers  trod  before  him. 
He  thus  voluntarily  deprives  himself  of  the  sources  of 
that  information  which  alone  can  give  support  to  ag- 
riculture as  a science.  This  is  unfortunate  ; and  it 
cannot  be  expected  that  this  kind  of  prejudice  can  be 
at  once  overcome.  But  we  have  good  foundation  to 
believe  that  the  sunlight  of  reason  is  every  day  dis- 
persing the  clouds  of  error  among  our  New  England 
farmers. 

There  are  people  who,  even  now,  contend  that 
talent  and  knowledge  are  not  necessary  for  a far- 
mer ; that  all  he  has  to  do  is  to  put  the  seeds  into 
the  earth  at  a proper  time,  and  let  them  grow.  But 
this  is  not  all  that  is  required.  In  agriculture,  as 
well  as  in  political  economy,  knowledge  is  power. 
And  this  knowledge  must  be  acquired  by  experience, 
and  generally  diffused  by  means  of  the  press. 

A farmer,  in  order  to  reap  all  the  advantages  which 
are  proffered  by  his  situation,  should  understand  the 
art,  so  well  known  by  the  ancients,  of  watering  his 
cultivated  lands  in  times  of  drought,  by  artificial  ir- 
rigation ; and  he  would  then  seldom  be  subjected  to 
the  mortification  of  seeing  his  crops  perishing  in  a 
dry  season,  without  the  power  of  providing  a remedy. 

We  are  told  that  in  many  parts  of  India,  the  inhab- 
itants are  often  entirely  dependent  upon  artificial  ir- 
rigation for  their  crops ; and  to  such  an  extent  have 
they  carried  it,  that  many  of  their  villages  are  sur- 
rounded with  extensive  fields  of  corn  and  fruit  trees, 
flourishing  with  the  most  luxuriant  foliage,  while  the 
land  at  a short  distance  is  parched  and  barren  as  a 


25 


desert.  This  difference  is  wholly  owing  to  artificial 

irrioation.  Some  of  the  towns  which  have  become 

© 

deserted,  owing  to  the  ravages  of  war,  are  now  sur- 
rounded with  barren  and  parched  deserts,  although 
they  were  formerly  situated  in  the  midst  of  flourish- 
ing and  verdant  corn-fields,  and  luxuriant  groves  of 
fruit  trees.  This  change  is  owing  to  the  neglect  of 
the  artificial  irrigation,  to  which  they  owed  their 
support. 

History  also  informs  us  that  during  the  eight  cen- 
turies, when  Spain  was  occupied  by  the  Moors  and 
the  Arabs,  it  was  the  best  cultivated  and  most  fertile 
country  in  Europe.  The  fields  were  watered  by 
means  of  canals,  and  covered  with  all  the  known 
productions.  But  since  the  expulsion  of  the  Moors, 
Spain  has  continually  declined.  The  agricultural 
prosperity  of  Spain  under  the  Arabs,  was  the  conse- 
quence of  their  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  agri- 
culture, and  particularly  of  the  value  of  irrigation. 

The  art  of  draining  is  also  an  important  and  com- 
plicated art,  to  understand  which  would  be  of  vast 
use  to  the  proprietors  of  a large  portion  of  the  farms 
of  New  England.  By  this  means,  immense  tracts 
of  boggy  land,  in  its  natural  state  useless  even  for 
pasture ; or  fields  which  are  always  saturated  with 
water,  cold  and  springy  and  unproductive ; and 
meadow  lands  which  produce  only  a species  of  coarse 
grass,  deficient  in  nutriment,  may  be  reclaimed  and 
transformed  to  fertile  soil. 

Then  again,  there  is  the  subject  of  the  choice  and 
improvement  of  seeds ; a subject  which,  I fear,  is  too 
4 


26 


much  neglected,  even  among  intelligent  farmers  in 
New  England.  But  it  is  a subject  of  great  interest 
and  value,  to  understand  which  requires  much  dis- 
crimination, and  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  veg- 
etable vitality. 

The  soils , too,  are  often  of  various  kinds  on  a sin- 
gle estate  ; and  bv  mixing  one  with  another  in  a 
scientific  manner,  the  effect  is  found  to  be  exceed- 
ingly beneficial.  And  a farm  which  is  regarded  as 
of  little  value  in  consequence  of  the  native  barren- 
ness of  its  soil,  may  in  this  manner,  by  a little  com- 
parative labor,  become  rich  and  fertile.  And  here 
the  farmer  will  derive  essential  benefit  from  the  study 
of  Geology . 

Manures , also,  are  of  great  importance  to  a far- 
mer, and  here  some  knowledge  of  Chemistry  will 
prove  of  great  value.  ri  he  man  who  understands 
the  art  of  making  the  greatest  quantity  of  manure, 
of  which  his  farm  is  capable,  and  of  preserving  it 
until  it  is  used,  and  who  thus  always  returns  to  the 
soil,  in  another  shape,  the  riches  that  he  takes  from 
it,  will  have  an  immense  advantage  over  the  man 
who  does  not  act  from  scientific  principles,  but  who, 
it  may  be,  looks  upon  such  knowledge  with  con- 
tempt. 

An  acquaintance  with  the  neglected  study  of  Me- 
teorology will  also  frequently  prove  useful  in  aiding  the 
farmer  to  fix  upon  the  proper  time  to  commence  an 
important  operation ; for  in  this  unstable  climate, 
much  depends  on  the  weather  and  the  season.  And 
in  raising,  and  improving,  and  feeding  his  stock,  the 


27 


farmer  will  find  many  important  suggestions  in  the 
study  of  Natural  History. 

It  will  thus  be  seen,  that  to  excel  as  an  agricultu- 
rist, to  be  a good  and  thorough  farmer,  requires  an 
intellect  of  no  ordinary  character,  and  an  amount  of 
useful  and  varied  knowledge,  equal,  at  least,  to  that 
which  any  other  occupation  requires. 

Whether  agriculture  can  ever  become  a science 
in  the  strict  sense  of  that  word,  may  be  a question. 
But  there  can  be  no  question  that  from  observation 
and  experiment  many  valuable  laws  may  be  deduc- 
ed ; and  it  is  a fact,  that  the  diffusion  of  the  requi- 
site knowledge  among  a people  of  one  section  of  a 
country,  will  give  them  a great  superiority  over  the 
people  of  other  sections.  If  one  individual  can 
afford  to  let  one  half  the  productive  energies  of  his 
farm  lie  waste,  the  country  cannot ; and  the  coun- 
try has  a deep  interest  in  the  question  ; for  the  farm- 
ing interest  is  the  source  of  wealth. 

Look  at  Great  Britain,  which  nation  stands  at  the 
head  of  manufacturing  and  commercial  nations ; an 
island  with  commodious  sea-ports  on  every  side  ; 
and  possessed  of  every  facility  for  exporting  her 
manufactures  to  every  part  of  the  globe  ; and  the  in- 
habitants avail  themselves  of  this  opportunity,  and 
export  every  year,  articles  to  the  amount  of  five  hun- 
dred millions  of  dollars,  which  consist  almost  entire- 
ly of  manufactures.  Yet  out  of  thirteen  millions  of 
her  population  engaged  in  various  pursuits,  nine  mil- 
lions are  employed  in  agriculture  ! And  the  soil  of 
Great  Britain  is  by  no  means  naturally  fertile,  but 


28 


requires  the  continued  application  of  art  and  labor 
to  keep  it  in  a highly  productive  state.  Yes,  in 
Great  Britain  land  represents  more  than  seven 
times  the  value  of  manufacturing  capital,  four 
fifths  of  which  capital  is  employed  in  furnishing 
the  requisite  supplies  to  agriculturists.  And  the 
average  nett  profit  arising  from  the  immense  landed 
capital  is  estimated  at  seventeen  and  a half  per  cent. 
It  is  therefore  generally  admitted  in  Great  Britain, 
that  agriculture  is  the  basis  of  British  prosperity,  and 
the  chief  pillar  of  the  government;  and  the  broader 
and  firmer  the  foundation,  the  more  profitable  and 
durable  will  be  its  concomitant  allies,  manufactures 
and  commerce. 

This  fact  is  well  illustrated  by  an  allegorical  sign 
for  a country  inn,  called  the  “ Five  Alls.”  It  repre- 
sents five  human  figures,  beneath  each  of  which  is  a 
motto.  The  first  figure  is  a king  with  his  regalia  ; his 
motto,  “ I govern  all.”  The  second,  a bishop  in  his 
pontificals  ; motto,  “ I pray  for  all.”  The  third,  a 
lawyer  with  his  gown ; motto,  “ I plead  for  all.” 
Fourth,  a soldier  in  his  regimentals  ; motto,  “ I fight 
for  all.”  And  the  fifth,  a farmer , in  appropriate  cos- 
tume, with  his  sythe  and  rake ; motto,  “ I pay  for 
all.” 

In  the  United  States,  the  actual  produce  of  our 
soil,  unless  in  seasons  of  great  scarcity,  after  sup- 
plying the  demand  for  home  consumption,  furnishes 
three  fourths  of  our  exports  to  foreign  countries. 
And  our  agricultural  riches  thus  give  an  impulse  to 
commerce  and  manufactures,  and  enable  us  to  im- 


29 


port  comforts  and  luxuries  from  abroad,  by  which 
a revenue  is  derived  for  the  support  of  the  govern- 
ment. 

According  to  the  Report  of  the  former  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  giving  the  value  and  quantity  of 
the  agricultural  productions  in  the  year  1839,  it  ap- 
pears that  in  that  year  the  article  of  greatest  value 
produced  was  hay . The  number  of  tons  computed 
to  have  been  raised,  being  9,830,415,  which  at 
80  cts.  a hundred  weight,  the  average  price  in  the 
New  York  market,  amounted  to  the  enormous  sum 
of  $157,286,840 ! The  article  next  in  value  was 
Indian  corn , viz.,  308,164,445  bushels,  which,  at 
fifty  cents  a bushel,  amounted  to  $154,080,223. 
After  this  comes  cotton , about  one  billion  three 
millions  of  pounds,  which  at  eleven  cents,  gives 
$1 14,909,577.  Then  we  have  wheat  next,  amount- 
ing to  75,983,449  bushels,  at  one  dollar  a bushel  : 
potatoes , one  hundred  and  two  millions  of  bushels  ; 
which  at  42  cts.,  gives  42,882,000  dollars.  Products 
of  the  dairy , equal  to  34,189,000  dollars.  Oats,  at 
33  cts.  a bushel,  amounting  to  33  millions  of  dollars  : 
then  sugar , 19  millions  of  dollars,  and  tobacco  at 
10  cts.  a pound,  amounting  to  $14,800,000. 

In  these  returns  the  product  of  North  Carolina, 
Kentucky,  Florida  and  Wisconsin  are  not  included  ; 
and  it  is  believed  that  the  production,  as  published,  is 
fully  ten  per  cent,  below  the  actual  product.  Enough 
however  is  known  to  satisfy  the  world  that  we  pos- 
sess immense  wealth.  For  the  annual  value  of  agri- 
cultural productions  alone,  as  officially  given  in  this 


30 


Report,  is  nearly  seven  hundred  millions  of  dollars ! 
This  was  the  product  in  1 839 : that  of  1 840  was 
certainly  ten  per  cent,  greater  ; and  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe  that  the  product  of  1841  is  larger 
still. 

On  reflecting  on  these  facts,  every  patriot  must 
wish  that  agriculture  may  experience  the  fostering 
care  of  government ; that  our  legislatures  may  do 
more  for  the  former,  instead  of  undoing  what  has 
already  been  done  ; that  agricultural  societies  may 
multiply  in  our  land , where  facts  may  be  gathered 
and  knowledge  diffused ; that  well-conducted  agri- 
cultural publications  may  be  well  sustained  by  the 
agricultural  community,  and  circulate  extensively 
on  every  side  ; that  agriculture  may  be  made  a 
branch  of  study  in  our  schools  ; and  that  a professor- 
ship may  be  established  in  our  colleges. 

The  legislature  of  New  York,  with  a liberality 
deserving  imitation,  not  long  since,  passed  a resolu- 
tion, appropriating  eight  thousand  dollars  annually 
for  five  years,  for  the  promotion  of  agriculture  in  that 
State  ; the  money  to  be  distributed  among  the  dif- 
ferent county  societies  ; with  the  condition  annexed, 
that  each  society  claiming  a share,  must  show  that  it 
has  raised  by  private  subscription,  a sum  equal  to 
that  which  it  claims. 

This  augurs  well  for  the  prosperity  of  agriculture. 
It  must  also  give  satisfaction  to  the  friends  of  agri- 
culture, to  know  that  steps  have  been  taken  to  form 
a great  National  Agricultural  Society,  the  head- 
quarters of  which  will  be  at  Washington ; where 


31 


already  there  is  a vast  collection  of  materials  to  form 
a great  Agricultural  Museum. 

It  is  well  known  that  a wealthy  English  gentle- 
man, Mr.  Smithson,  who  died  several  years  ago, 
made  a bequest  to  this  government  of  about  half  a 
million  of  dollars,  to  be  appropriated  to  the  establish- 
ment of  some  useful  literary  institution  at  Wash- 
ington. The  President  subsequently  invited  some  of 
our  distinguished  citizens  to  offer  plans  for  the  pro- 
posed institution.  One  proposed  a National  Uni- 
versity ; another,  an  Astronomical  Observatory ; 
another,  courses  of  scientific  lectures.  But  one  gen- 
tleman advocated  the  establishment  of  a grand 
National  Agricultural  Institute,  on  the  ground  that 
agriculture  is  the  great  interest  of  the  nation,  and 
yet  a subject  on  which  we  are  grossly  ignorant. 

He  proposed  to  have  a farm  large  enough  to  test 
all  experiments,  and  to  exhibit  all  systems,  including 
six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  cultivation  ; meadow, 
pasture,  vine-yard,  mulberry  grounds,  orchards,  gar- 
dens, nurseries,  woodland,  and  whatever  else  might 
be  necessary.  Here  every  thing  subservient  to  a com- 
plete agricultural  education,  he  would  teach  by  free 
lectures,  models,  and  actual  observation  and  prac- 
tice, including,  of  course,  an  extensive  list  of  the 
sciences,  together  with  the  employment  of  mills, 
cabinet,  libraries,  apparatus  of  various  kinds,  and  ana- 
tomical and  other  collections ; also  laboratories, 
workshops,  stables,  beet-root  sugar  establishment, 
shepherd’s  department,  implements  of  husbandry, 
and  divers  other  things. 

o 


32 


This  is  truly  a magnificent  plan ; and  it  cannot 
be  doubted,  that  the  adoption  of  it  would  redound 
to  the  benefit  of  the  whole  country.  This  money 
is  not  yet  appropriated  to  the  purpose,  for  which  it 
was  designed  by  the  generous  donor.  This  ex- 
traordinary neglect  on  the  part  of  Congress,  reflects 
dishonor  on  the  country  ; and  should  be  signally 
rebuked  by  the  people. 

In  travelling  through  Massachusetts  and  other 
parts  of  New  England,  the  eye  of  the  stranger  often 
rests  with  satisfaction  on  well-cultivated  lands,  ex- 
hibiting evidence  of  agricultural  knowledge  ; correct 
taste  ; praiseworthy  method ; and  of  persevering 
industry  on  the  part  of  the  owners ; for  from  the 
appearance  of  the  farm,  a practiced  eye  may  always 
be  enabled  to  judge  of  the  character  of  the  farmer. 

If  the  farm-house  is  neat,  and  apparently  sur- 
rounded with  an  atmosphere  of  comfort  ; if  the 
barns  are  large , well  situated,  and  in  good  order ; 
if  the  kitchen-garden  is  well  supplied  with  vegeta- 
bles and  free  from  weeds ; if  there  are  flourishing 
forest  trees,  planted  with  proper  intervals,  around 
the  dwelling-house  and  by  the  road-side ; if  the 
fences  are  upright  and  well-conditioned,  serving  a 
more  important  purpose,  than  to  mark  the  boun- 
daries between  pasturage  and  tillage  ; if  there  are 
no  noxious  weeds  and  bushes  around  the  premises, 
and  no  pools  of  stagnant  water,  filling  the  atmos- 
phere with  impurities  during  the  heats  of  summer  ; 
if  the  cattle  are  in  good  condition,  and  grazing  quietly 
and  contentedly  in  the  pastures  ; if  the  land  is  well 
tilled,  and  apparently  productive,  the  traveller,  with- 


33 


out  hesitation,  as  at  a glance  he  satisfies  himself 
with  regard  to  the  state  of  things,  pronounces  the 
master  spirit  of  that  farm,  a man,  who  understands 
his  business  thoroughly,  and  is  able  and  willing  to 
execute  it  faithfully.  He  sees  at  once,  that  he  is 
willing  to  receive  instruction  from  any  source,  and 
is  constantly  adding  to  his  stock  of  knowledge  ; that 
he  has  not  undertaken  to  till  more  land  than  he  can 
till  as  it  should  be  tilled ; and  the  traveller  sets  him 
down  without  hesitation  as  an  accomplished  and 
prosperous  farmer,  and  a good  and  exemplary 
citizen. 

I say  that  we  have  such  farms  in  New  England. 
In  certain  counties  or  tracts  of  country,  they  are 
neither  few  nor  far  between  ; and  would  that  we  had 
more  of  them. 

But  I regret  to  say,  it  is  also  true  that  the  traveller 
is  often  distressed,  and  sometimes  disgusted  to  wit- 
ness by  the  road-side,  and  perhaps  in  a pleasant 
tract  of  country  favorable  for  tillage,  lands  and  build- 
ings, which  speak  as  plainly  as  lands  and  buildings 
can  speak,  a mournful  tale  of  ignorance,  or  idleness, 
or  folly,  on  the  part  of  the  proprietor.  The  signs 
cannot  be  mistaken.  Unshingled  roofs,  dilapidated 
fences,  un grafted  fruit  trees,  unseemly  patches  of 
briars  and  bushes  in  the  midst  of  fields ; corn  choked 
with  weeds  ; and  grain  struggling  for  life  in  an  ex- 
hausted soil.  And  if  he  meets  the  unfortunate 
owner  of  this  estate,  he  finds  him  looking  care-worn 
and  discontented,  as  if  he  was  habitually  unhappy. 
And  this  is  not  surprising.  This  man  is  pursuing  a 
5 


34 


business,  for  which  his  faculties  are  not  adapted. 
He  is  either  unacquainted  with  the  rudiments  of 
agriculture,  and  is  unable  or  unwilling  to  learn ; he 
is  indolent  or  intemperate,  and  neglects  to  perform 
faithfully  his  duties,  as  a husband,  a father,  and  a citi- 
zen ; or,  as  is  not  unfrequently  the  case,  urged  by  a 
vain  ambition  to  become  a great  landholder,  he  has 
added  many  acres  to  a farm,  perhaps  already  too 
large,  and  has  voluntarily  taken  upon  his  shoulders, 
a weight,  which  he  is  by  no  means  able  to  carry. 
This  man  forgets  that  the  intrinsic  value  of  a farm 
does  not  consist  in  its  number  of  acres  of  barren  land , 
but  in  its  productiveness,  in  the  excellence  of  the 
acres  of  which  it  is  composed. 

And  this  reminds  me  of  an  anecdote,  with  which 
many  of  my  audience  are  doubtless  familiar.  A good 
practical  farmer,  one  day,  travelling  through  a part 
of  New  England,  came  to  a spot,  where  two  large 
farms,  of  a character,  similar  to  the  one  I have  just 
attempted  to  describe,  were  situated.  He  gazed 
upon  the  half-tilled  soil  with  a feeling  akin  to  sad- 
ness. At  length,  seeing  a man  with  a physiognomy 
betokening  a broken  spirit,  busily  employed  in  the 
hopeless  task  of  destroying  the  weeds  which  over- 
topped an  immense  field  of  yellow-looking  corn,  and 
believing,  of  course,  that  he  must  be  the  owner  of  this 
extensive  but  barren  tract  of  land,  he  said  to  him, 
in  accents  of  commiseration,  “ My  friend,  I pity  you 
from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.” 

“ Oh,  sir,”  said  the  other,  while  a smile  of  pride 
and  exultation  played  around  his  mouth,  and  for 


35 


a moment  illumined  his  wo-begone  countenance, 
“ I am  not  so  much  to  be  pitied  as  you  imagine  ; for 
neighbor  Jenkins,  who  lives  just  over  the  hill,  owns 
one-half  of  this  land!” 

Provided  there  was  a disposition  among  our 
farmers  to  improve  small  farms,  cultivate  all  the  soil, 
and  cultivate  it  well,  the  population  and  riches  of 
New  England  would  increase  to  a surprising  extent. 
Notwithstanding  the  multiplication  of  States  in  the 
West,  our  own  New  England  would  still  exercise  an 
important  influence  on  the  councils  of  this  Re- 
public. We  should  then  no  longer  see  our  enter- 
prising young  men  quit  the  land  of  their  fathers, 
and  with  nothing  more  than  a stout  heart,  a mus- 
cular frame,  and  industrious  habits,  wend  their  way 
to  the  new  lands  of  the  far  West ; there , on  the  out- 
skirts of  civilization,  to  establish  a home,  and  build 
up  their  fortunes.  No  ; were  it  not  for  the  mis- 
taken policy  of  the  day,  they  would  cling  to  New 
England,  and  exclaim  in  the  words  of  the  poet : 

“ Rough  is  her  soil : yet  blessed  in  fruitful  stores  : 

Strong  are  her  sons,  though  rocky  are  her  shores  : 

And  none,  ah  ! none , so  lovely  to  my  sight, 

Of  all  the  lands  that  Heaven  o’erspreads  with  light.” 

There  is  probably  no  occupation  in  civilized  life, 
which  may  not,  in  a greater  or  less  degree,  be  re- 
garded as  a task.  Care  and  anxiety  are  insepara- 
bly connected  with  business  of  every  description. 
But  every  kind  of  employment  has  its  bright , as  well 
as  its  dark  side  ; and  that  man  is  fortunate,  and 
must  be  successful,  who  derives  pleasure  from  the 
performance  of  his  daily  routine  of  duties. 


36 


A considerable  portion  of  my  boyhood  was  spent 
upon  a farm.  Since  then  I have  visited  many  dif- 
ferent countries,  and  have  pursued  different  kinds  of 
employment.  I have  mingled  with  men  in  almost 
every  state  of  society,  in  many  distant  parts  of  the 
globe  ; and  have  long  since  been  convinced  that  rio 
class  of  men,  in  this,  or  any  other  country,  are  so 
thoroughly  independent,  are  surrounded  by  so  many 
comforts,  and  have  so  little  cause  for  anxiety  or  dis- 
content, connected  with  their  vocations,  as  the 
farmers  of  New  England. 

But  in  this  money-making  age,  when  men  are 
looking  around,  in  hopes  to  espy  a railroad  to 
wealth  ; when  they  cannot  be  contented  with  plod- 
ding along  through  life,  enjoying  merely  a com- 
petence ; the  question  most  likely  to  be  asked,  is  not 
whether  the  life  of  a farmer  is  a happy  one,  but 
whether  it  is  also  a profitable  one.  I answer  em- 
phatically, that  it  is. 

It  may  be  true  that  the  number  of  farmers,  who, 
by  practicing  economy  and  industry,  and  sound  judg- 
ment in  the  management  of  their  farms,  acquire  great 
riches , is  quite  limited ; although  such  cases  have 
occurred.  But  on  the  other  hand,  who  ever  heard 
of  a good  farmer,  who  was  able  and  willing  to  work, 
and  to  husband  his  earnings,  who  became  poor  or 
bankrupt  ? The  man  who  has  invested  his  capital 
in  a farm,  and  manages  it  himself,  has  made  a safe 
investment.  If  his  title  is  a good  one,  his  money  is 
safe.  If  the  merchant  becomes  bankrupt,  he  owes 
the  prudent  farmer  nothing ; and  if  the  Bank  is 


37 


unable  to  redeem  its  issues,  or  loses  half  its  capital 
by  the  dishonesty  of  its  officers,  or  the  bold  but  adroit 
villany  of  an  accomplished  robber  — and  such  things 
occur  not  unfrequently  in  these  days  — the  farmer 
listens  to  the  tale  with  indifference,  so  far  as  he  is 
concerned ; for  his  property  is  in  the  soil,  it  is  the 
soil  itself,  and  cannot  be  stolen.  His  capital  is  in- 
vested where,  of  course,  the  returns  cannot  be  so 
great  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  where  there  is  more 
risk  to  encounter  ; but  his  farm,  if  well  managed, 
will  yield  him  an  income  of  from  four  to  six  per 
cent,  annually,  besides  furnishing  him  and  his  family 
with  most  of  the  necessaries,  and  some  of  the  luxu- 
ries of  life.  Or,  if  in  keeping  his  accounts,  he  gives 
credit  to  his  dairy,  his  barn-yard,  his  pasture,  his 
orchards,  his  fields  and  his  forests,  for  all  the  pro- 
ductions, both  animal  and  vegetable,  with  which 
they  have  supplied  him,  for  his  own  use,  as  well  as 
for  the  market,  he  will  find,  in  balancing  his  accounts 
at  the  end  of  the  year,  that  the  money  which  he  has 
invested  in  that  best  of  all  banks,  a bank  of  earth, 
has  yielded  him  the  handsome  profit  of  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  per  cent ! 

It  is  not  just,  then,  to  say  that  farming  in  New 
England  is  an  unprofitable  employment. 

And  how  is  it  with  the  mechanic  ? Unless  un- 
commonly shrewd  or  fortunate,  he  finds  it  difficult 
to  accumulate  property.  He  enjoys  a competence  it 
is  true  ; but  he  seldom  acquires  riches,  although  he 
may  possess  ingenuity,  skill,  industry,  and  temperate 
habits.  How  is  it  with  the  trader , who  pursues  a 


38 


business  which  promises  to  fill  his  coffers  with  gold, 
without  delay  ? Is  he  always  successful  ? By  no 
means.  It  is  ascertained  by  actual  investigation 
that  of  the  vast  number  of  persons,  engaged  in  the 
different  kinds  of  trade,  wholesale  and  retail,  in 
the  city  of  Boston  — and  our  other  large  cities  will 
tell  a similar  story  — more  than  ninety  out  of  one 
hundred  are  unsuccessful,  and  fail  in  business  ! Yes, 
and  in  many  cases,  have  involved  their  country 
friends,  too,  who  have  incautiously  placed  their 
names  on  certain  little  slips  of  paper.  How  is  it 
with  speculators  ? men  who,  perhaps,  voluntarily  re- 
linquished a certain  mode  of  acquiring  a comfort- 
able livelihood,  by  the  exercise  of  industry  and  fru- 
gality ; and  were  resolved  to  amass  boundless  wealth 
without  delay  ? Let  the  wild  lands  in  the  Eastern 
and  Western  sections  of  our  country,  worthless 
India-rubber  and  other  fancy  stock,  and  the  huge 
piles  of  unpaid  notes,  which  are  even  yet  to  be  found 
in  many  of  our  banks,  tell  the  melancholy  tale. 

When  I speak  of  the  profits  of  a farm,  I wish  to 
be  understood  as  meaning  a farm  well  conducted, 
where  the  soil  is  properly  tilled,  and  is  not  suffered 
to  deteriorate.  I am  willing  to  admit  that  lands  half 
ploughed,  and  half  cultivated,  exhausted  of  their 
natural  fertility,  and  managed  throughout  in  a slov- 
enly and  indolent  manner,  are  far  from  being  profit- 
able, and  the  sooner  the  owners  of  such  farms  quit 
the  life  of  a husbandman,  the  better.  Let  the  mer- 
chant send  his  ships  to  sea,  only  half  manned  and 
miserably  found ; let  the  manufacturer  employ  idle 


39 


workmen,  and  provide  few  and  poor  materials ; let 
the  mechanic  labor  without  the  proper  tools,  and  the 
shopkeeper  be  deficient  in  stock,  and  inattentive  to 
his  business,  and  the  consequences  must  be  ruinous 
indeed.  And  why  should  a lazy  or  unskilful  farmer 
be  exempted  from  a similar  mortifying  result  ? 

The  husbandman,  in  his  profession,  has  no  ene- 
mies to  contend  with ; on  the  contrary,  he  enjoys 
the  general  protection  of  the  world.  Every  individu- 
al, high  and  low,  is  interested  in  the  fruits  of  the 
earth : men,  women,  and  children  will  turn  out  to 
assist  the  farmer,  rather  than  a harvest  should  not  be 
got  in,  and  they  will  do  this  by  no  other  property. 
Agriculture  is  the  only  employment  for  which  the 
common  prayer  of  mankind  is  put  up.  No  other 
interest  in  a nation  stands  on  the  same  united  sup- 
port. When  the  valleys  laugh  and  sing,  it  is  not  the 
farmer  only,  but  all  creation , which  rejoices.  The 
prosperity  of  a husbandman  excludes  all  envy,  and 
this  can  hardly  be  said  of  any  other  employment. 

If  there  is  any  class  of  persons  who  are  disposed 
to  undervalue  the  labors,  or  bring  discredit  on  the 
occupation  of  the  farmer,  it  is  the  farmers  themselves . 
This  may  seem  strange  to  many,  but,  nevertheless,  I 
believe  it  to  be  true.  And  I am  willing  to  appeal  to 
the  husbandmen,  who  honor  me  with  their  presence 
on  this  occasion,  if  all  of  them  are  in  the  habit  of 
regarding  their  profession  as  of  a highly  honorable 
character ; if  they  are  wont  to  educate  their  sons  to 
be  farmers , and  teach  them  to  look  upon  the  occu- 
pation of  tilling  the  ground,  as  one  of  the  most  re- 


40 


spectable  and  desirable  employments  of  life,  honored 
in  all  ages,  above  all  other  employments  ; if  they  are 
in  the  habit  of  teaching  their  daughters  to  congratu- 
late themselves  that  they  are  children  of  the  cultiva- 
tors of  the  earth,  and  to  look  forward  with  pleasure 
to  the  happy  day  when  they  shall  become  farmers ’ 
wives  ? 

Are  not  farmers  rather  too  much  in  the  habit  of 
instructing  their  children  differently  on  these  points, 
insomuch  that  their  sons  are  early  accustomed  to 
regard  with  a dislike,  in  some  cases  amounting  to 
disgust,  the  dull  routine  and  constant  labors  of  a 
farmer’s  life  ; and  long  to  quit  the  plough,  the  hoe, 
or  the  sythe,  to  figure  as  gentlemen , forsooth ; per- 
haps, as  petty  shopkeeper’s  clerks,  where  they  can 
wear  a clean  collar  every  day,  and  garments  of  a 
fashionable  color  and  cut,  and  turn  their  education 
to  account,  by  pursuing  the  manly  and  profitable 
occupation  of  standing  behind  a counter,  and  mea- 
suring a cent’s  worth  of  tape,  or  selling  a paper  of 
pins ; and  thus  deprive  destitute,  yet  worthy  women, 
perhaps  widows,  or  orphans,  of  a suitable  means  of 
livelihood  ? Are  not  their  daughters  early  led  to 
think  that  the  wife  of  a farmer  holds  not  a sufficiently 
genteel  station  in  society,  and  that  their  appearance 
and  accomplishments  entitle  them  to  a better  match ; 
perhaps  with  a professional  man ; perhaps,  with  an 
honest  or  a dishonest  trader;  perhaps  with  an 
insinuating  horse-jockey,  or  swindling  speculator, 
where  they  may  be  recognized  and  treated  as  ladies , 
forsooth  ? 


41 


But  my  hearers  may  rest  assured,  that  that  coun- 
try, that  district,  or  that  village,  is  rapidly  sinking  to 
ruin,  and  its  inhabitants  are  objects  of  pity,  where 
rural  labor  is  held  in  contempt,  as  mean  or  de- 
grading; where  the  unscrupulous  pettifogger,  the 
college-taught  spendthrift,  the  keeper  of  a tippling 
house,  the  retailer  of  sugar,  tea,  or  molasses,  the 
travelling  pedler,  or  the  itinerant  dispenser  of  popular 
knowledge,  are  looked  upon  as  far  more  important 
personages  than  the  worthy  farmer,  who  cultivates 
his  own  lands ! where  the  husbandmen  themselves, 
who  find  it  necessary  to  work,  set  about  it  with 
reluctance,  and,  perhaps,  with  a mortifying  sense  of 
shame,  and  blush  to  be  caught  at  the  plough  by 
their  genteeler  acquaintance,  as  if  surprised  in  the 
commission  of  a crime ! Where  the  labors  of  the 
farm  are  as  much  objects  of  aversion  to  the  young 
men,  as  the  labors  of  the  dairy  are  to  the  young 
women ; where  the  daughters  of  a farmer  would 
scorn  to  be  seen  milking  a cow,  and  where  the  sons, 
instead  of  being  ambitious  to  excel  in  ploughing, 
planting,  hoeing,  mowing,  chopping  wood,  and 
similar  honorable  occupations,  seek  to  become  coun- 
try schoolmasters,  or  crowd  to  the  capital,  to  become 
clerks  and  shopboys ! 

Perhaps  it  may  be  said,  that  such  a feeling  as  I 
have  described,  exists  only  in  imagination.  But  it 
is  not  so.  I have  good  reason  to  believe  that  this 
feeling  does  exist,  in  a greater  or  less  degree,  in 
many  towns  in  New  England,  and  also  that  it  origi- 
nates with  the  farmers  themselves.  It  is  time  that 
6 


42 


it  was  rebuked,  for  it  is  an  unjust  feeling,  and,  if  in- 
dulged, must  become  injurious  to  the  interests  of 
agriculture,  an  art  in  which  our  most  valuable  men 
and  women  should  be  engaged.  For  it  has  been 
well  said,  that  all  the  energy  of  the  hero,  and  all  the 
science  of  the  philosopher,  may  find  scope  in  the 
cultivation  of  a single  farm. 

In  concluding  this  address,  I would  say  to  all 
farmers,  cherish  your  occupation,  and  maintain  its 
respectability  on  all  occasions,  and  at  all  hazards. 
Be  faithful  to  yourselves,  and  you  will  find  no  one  to 
dispute  with  you  the  antiquity,  the  utility,  or  the  ele- 
vated character  of  your  occupation.  Be  industrious  ; 
for  industry  is  the  handmaid  of  health,  and  the  key 
to  unlock  golden  treasures.  However  great  the 
beneficence  of  nature,  she  gives  nothing  gratuitously 
to  man. 

Study  and  practice  economy,  for  it  should  ever  be 
remembered,  that  although  labor  creates  wealth, 
economy  accumulates  it.  By  economy  I do  not 
mean  a sordid,  grasping,  avaricious  spirit ; for  true 
economy  is  as  far  removed  from  that  on  the  one 
hand,  as  from  heedless  extravagance  on  the  other. 

Study  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  your  family, 
but  avoid  luxury  as  an  evil  of  magnitude.  Remem- 
ber that  the  introduction  of  luxury  into  kingdoms, 
states,  or  empires,  has  precipitated  them  from  the 
summit  of  power,  and  from  the  most  flourishing 
pitch  of  glory  and  renown. 

Be  temperate  in  your  habits.  On  this  much  de- 
pends. The  pure  water  which  gushes  from  the  hill- 


43 


side,  and  meanders  through  the  fields  and  meadows, 
is  the  drink  which  the  bounteous  Giver  of  all  good 
designed  for  man.  Intemperance  is  a rock  on  which 
many  a gallant  barque  has  been  wrecked.  Indeed, 
industry  and  economy  cannot  be  practiced  except 
in  connexion  with  temperance,  as  the  hapless  fate  of 
many  otherwise  able  and  worthy  husbandmen  have 
proved.  It  should  ever  be  borne  in  mind,  that  in 
this  country,  industry,  frugality,  and  temperance  will 
always  conduct  a man  triumphantly  through  the 
paths  of  life. 

Cultivate  your  minds.  This  may  be  done  by 
reading,  by  study,  or  by  conversation.  A good 
farmer,  who  manages  his  concerns  as  they  should 
be  managed,  will  always  find  time  to  cultivate  his 
intellectual  faculties,  as  well  as  to  exercise  his  physi- 
cal powers ; otherwise,  he  were  indeed  to  be  pitied. 
There  are  times  when  the  mind  should  be  exercised 
as  well  as  the  body ; when  information  on  various 
subjects  of  general  interest  should  be  obtained,  of  a 
character  more  solid  and  enduring  than  can  be 
found  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  Books  and 
periodicals  may  be  had  in  these  16  go  ahead  ” times, 
on  almost  every  subject,  in  forms  exceedingly  cheap, 
and  well-selected  social  libraries  should  be  establish- 
ed in  every  town  or  village  in  New  England. 

See  that  your  children  are  well  educated.  Let 
your  sons  be  instructed  in  the  various  branches  of 
useful  learning,  that  they  may  become  active  and 
worthy  members  of  an  enlightened  community.  In- 
culcate on  their  minds  elevated  sentiments  and  liberal 


44 


principles.  Teach  them  that  they  should  not  live  for 
themselves  only ; that  in  this  republic,  every  man  is 
a pillar  of  the  state,  and  exerts  an  influence  in  soci- 
ety, and  has  indispensable  duties  to  perform,  to  his 
family,  his  country,  and  his  God. 

Let  not  the  education  of  your  daughters  be  neg- 
lected, for  on  the  character  of  our  women  depends 
the  future  fate  of  our  country.  Teach  them  early 
to  look  upon  the  labors  and  the  profession  of  a hus- 
bandman, with  smiles  and  sympathy,  for  we  all  well 
know,  that  in  civilized  communities,  where  the  influ- 
ence of  the  gentler  sex  is  all  powerful,  as  it  should 
be,  no  enterprise  can  succeed,  or  become  popular, 
without  being  cheered  by  the  smiles  and  sympathy 
of  woman,  the  “ flower  of  the  human  species.5’ 
Educate  your  daughters  so  that  they  will  make  good 
farmers 5 wives , and,  if  thus  educated,  they  will  reflect 
honor  on  any  station,  however  exalted,  and  be  wor- 
thy to  become  the  mothers  of  freemen. 

Next  to  your  Bible,  study  well  the  Constitution 
of  the  Republic,  and  be  familiar  with  the  Constitu- 
tion, and  most  important  laws  of  your  own  State. 
Make  yourselves  acquainted  with  the  great  principles 
of  political  action,  and  inform  yourselves  thoroughly 
on  the  great  political  questions  of  the  day.  But 
avoid  the  virulence  of  party  spirit;  let  patriotism 
prompt  you  to  watch  the  conduct  of  your  rulers ; 
and  on  days  of  annual  elections,  go  to  the  town 
meetings,  and  do  your  duty  there,  by  endeavoring 
to  put  into  office,  men  of  good  understanding,  and 
sound  moral  principles , and  strive  to  discourage  the 


45 


ambition  of  aspiring  demagogues,  who  seek  to  de- 
ceive the  people,  and,  without  intrinsic  merit,  rise  to 
office  on  the  ladder  of  popular  favor.  We  expect 
to  find  in  you  the  advocates  and  supporters  of  a 
good  and  wise  government ; a government  of  equal 
laws,  whose  operations  are  influenced  by  a wish  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  the  whole  people.  We  ex- 
pect to  find  in  you  the  true  defenders  of  the  Consti- 
tution from  the  effect  of  aristocratical  doctrines 
which  invariably  attend  wealth,  luxury,  and  pride, 
on  the  one  hand;  and  from  those  radical  doctrines, 
which  have  their  origin  in  ignorance  and  prejudice, 
or  a destructive  spirit  of  misrule,  on  the  other.  For 
the  cultivators  of  the  soil  are  neither  the  lees  nor  the 
scum  of  the  political  or  the  social  cauldron. 

Corruption  will  reach  other  classes  of  society; 
we  expect  it ; but  we  look  to  that  numerous  class 
of  citizens  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  to  cor- 
rect the  evil,  and  to  preserve,  unpolluted,  the  purity 
of  our  government,  and  the  morals  of  society. 

Look  back  into  the  early  history  of  this  country, 
and  study  well  the  character  of  our  ancestors , the 
Pilgrim  Fathers.  Look  there  for  a model  of  excel- 
lence. The  simplicity,  the  candor,  the  piety,  the 
conscientiousness  of  the  Puritans,  all  deserve  our 
respect  and  admiration,  and  far  out-balance  any 
force  of  prejudice,  or  leaning  to  fanaticism,  which 
were  the  characteristics  of  the  age  in  which  they 
lived. 

They  were  chiefly  cultivators  of  the  earth ; pio- 
neers in  a howling  wilderness,  occupied  by  savages 


46 


and  beasts  of  prey ; but  in  industry,  economy,  and 
temperance ; in  generosity,  courage,  and  purity  of 
character,  they  set  a glorious  example  for  their  de- 
scendants. Let  their  few  weaknesses  sink  into 
oblivion,  but  let  their  virtues  be  deeply  engraven  on 
a tablet  of  adamant . And  for  centuries  to  come, 
may  the  farmers  of  New  England  emulate  the  sim- 
ple, industrious  habits,  and  excellence  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers. 


The  Agricultural  Society  of  Westboro’  and  vicinity,  held 
their  Second  Exhibition,  October  6th,  1841.  Agricultural  pub- 
lications were  awarded  as  premiums  and  gratuities  to  the  fol- 
lowing persons : 


Ploughing,  Double  Teams. 

WM.  F.  EAGER,  Northboro’, 
ANSON  WARREN,  Westboro’. 

Single  Teams. 

BEN.  HARRINGTON,  Westboro,’ 
JAMES  LONG,  do. 

Working  Oxen. 

ELIJAH  CASE,  Grafton, 

NAHUM  EAGER,  Northboro’. 

Steers. 

SILAS  BAILEY,  Berlin, 

NAHUM  EAGER,  Northboro’, 
ORRIN  DAVIS,  Shrewsbury. 

Heifers. 

JOSIAH  FAY,  Westboro’, 
ABIJAH  WOOD,  do. 

NAHUM  FISHER,  do. 

Bulls  and  Bull  Calves. 

JOHN  DODGE,  Sutton, 

D.  O.  MILLER,  Westboro,’ 
LOVETT  PETERS,  do. 

Milch  Cows. 

GEO.  S.  BANNISTER,  Westboro,’ 
ABIJAH  WOOD,  do. 


Swine. 

HENRY  LEACH,  Westboro’, 

C.  O.  LONGLEY,  do. 

CYRUS  MENTZER,  Northboro’. 
B.  D.  WHITNEY,  do. 

OTIS  BRIGHAM,  Westboro’. 

i Butter. 

S.  CHAMBERLAIN,  Westboro’, 
DAVID  WARREN,  do. 

Fruits  and  Vegetables. 

MRS.  SUSAN  G.  HOLBROOK, 
ABIJAH  STONE, 

WM.  WHITE,  Jr. 

CYRUS  MENTZER. 

Manufactures. 

L.  REED  BRIGHAM, 

B.  B.  NOURSE, 

LAWSON  HARRINGTON, 
JOHN  KIMBALL, 

J.  P.  KETTELL, 

H.  BAKER, 

B.  H.  & L.  N.  LELAND, 
FRANKLIN  BULLARD, 

RUFUS  W.  REED, 

SAMUEL  BRIGHAM, 

S.  A WHEELER, 

RUGGLES,  NOURSE  &MASON, 
WM.  ADAMS, 

J.  B.  KIMBALL  & Co. 

NAHUM  FtSHER,  Jr. 

HORATIO  WARREN. 


